Well, cats are certainly tricksters in the world, and can’t be fully known. That is their mystery. Whether or not they are bipolar, they certainly have moods……. Well, people do ponder “is my cat bipolar disorder”. In fact, doing a Google search of that, you’ll find many people posing the question. But, pet experts then reply that incredible shifts in mood and energy is normal. The great cats, lions and tigers spend most time sleeping, but they hunt with intensity. Domesticated cats seem to do the same, resting then going crazy (or as one writer put it, “psychotic”). Some cats turn quit aggressive: I know, I have scars on my legs form Frankenstein’s claws, who most times is resting by my side.

The shifting in moods of cats is related to the survival of their species. While difficult for humans to accept, it us just their nature, and can’t be labelled all bad.White tigers kill their handlersHouse cats run crazy at times, OR OFTEN

Cute lions kill.

For bipolar disorder too, we should be asking: when is it nature that one has bipolar traits, and when is it too destructive? Unfortunately, treatment is geared to remind bipolar persons that “all” mood traits are bad. I have a personal friend that his psychiatrist told him 10 years ago that his loud guffaws were a trait of his bipolar disorder. Since that time, my friend has restrained all laughter and feels guilty when he does laugh. Before, he brought loud and raucous laughter to times together. Give him three shots of espresso to relieve his depression and then laugh together.

What the psychiatrist missed was:a. knowing this person and knowing why he laughed so loud (he came from a religiously repressive background and found his laughter was one outlet of relief)b. spontaneous and unprovoked laughter is s symptoms of too elevated mood, and is a symptomc. this person was depressive, and dearly needed to laughd. laughter is therapeutice. bipolar’s do get on the edge of jokes, laughing, and the profane, but depressives and soft bipolars are “self-checking” in behaviors.

Venus the Chimera cat became big news this week with viral videos and photos. Venus is a genetic chimera, meaning having distinct genetic cells and characteristics of two or more different “populations”. There are animal, plant, and rarely, human chimeras.

There exists symbolism and myth of having 2 or 3 joined personas. Here is a mythological chimera, with three distinct personalities in one. The Chimera is similar to the Sphinx, and in some myth gave birth to the Sphinx.

Humans are known to have different personas. This is not to be confused with mulitiple personality disorder, which is now thought to almost be non-existant, though urban legends of it still abound.Having two moods that are almost personality is common to most. We have naturally different moods. The problem with soft bipolar cyclothymia is that the mood is just more severe and not as transient as a typical person’s. It can impact the quality of life, mental well-being, and relationships.

Here is a “two-faced” graphic depicting two sides or even personas. Often, the darker side is seen as evil, which may be a Western Cultural interpretation of “darkness” and not shared by Eastern or African myth.

Currently, if one is two-faced, they are seen as nice at times, and cutting at others. Or, there can be a good evil story going on, like Two Face of the Batman Series.

But, this face here depicts not gossip or evil, but true change in mood. This is “bipolarity”.

In soft bipolar disorder, cyclothymia, the two faces are oftensocial versus outgoingwithdrawn versus social

There are many issues with theses two soft bipolar phases. Book one, Soft Bipolar Suffering addresses this. When is the personality from shifting energy that should be treated as disorder, vs. when is the personality form something emotionally repressed (for instance, Jack goes through stages of guilt versus dating). That must be addressed because a soft bipolar person is not only disorder, but have a soul and full psychology.

Note: many soft bipolars cyclothymics have incredible guilt complexes that make them feel like a Jekyll and Hyde bad person, when they actually are not…….this varies per disorder. But, we include this photo for some bipolar l’s where some guilt should be placed. The face differences are more distinct personalities, of withdrawn, versus wild. That is addressed in our books also. See also articles on guilt versus anosognosia in this blog. Anosognosia, lack of awareness of one’s disorder, is more common in Bipolar 1 and 11, and bipolar cases where drugs have been used. Unfortunately, the soft bipolar cyclothymics often languish in a pool of guilt and imagination of just how bad they are. Often soft bipolars or cyclothymics are misdiagnosed as Bipolar l or ll. It is important for you to know the difference. It’s possible if you are reading this blog, you are a bipolar support person or a soft bipolar with awareness of your disorder.